Party peopplllllllllllle!

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Dinner at the BIGGA 25th anniv party -- meat pie!

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York Minster

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London calling

Well, my BTME experience is over. Feels like it just started!

The 25th anniversary dinner last night was great. Good food, good company. Jacobsen sponsored the event and was kind enough to invite Goldom to the party as their guests, so thanks to them, or, as everyone says over here , "cheers!"

We're on our way to London now before our flight out tomorrow morning. We made a quick stop in York, which was also an amazing place... The size of the cathedral there, wow.

I'll post a few pics from the event, the York minster, etc., now...

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BTME in full swing

This day has gone by too fast... got two Golfdom TV interviews, stopped by a few other booths and investigated into what they have that's new and exciting... saw an interesting survey of golfers that showed some results that might surprise supers... met with GCSAA pals and interviewed Rhett Evans about future of the GIS show.

Not much time to blog now, I'm off to the 25th BTME anniversary party! More soon...

Hendren's Hyperbole: No Shame in Turf

Question of the day: What do funeral services, weather forecasting and golf course and turfgrass management have in common?

According to an article written by Greg Voakes on www.guyism.com, they are the top online bachelor degree programs you should be ashamed of.

Thanks a pant load Gregg. Good lookin' out! Where does writing brutal, idiotic articles for a smut online magazine rate on your list? What, an article on 101 ways to please your woman or 30 days to great abs was already taken?


I am glad I dropped a lot of cash and time EARNING a degree I could be ashamed of. What a joke. This is what Greg had to say about a golf course and turfgrass management degree. “Golf course and turfgrass management sounds like the most boring online bachelor program ever. If you yearn literally to watch grass grow, deal with old rich people who smell funny and have bad attitudes, and water/mow the lawn, this is definitely for you.”

The really bad thing about this article is that people really feel this way about our industry. For example, about ten years ago I was at my wife’s work Christmas party when I found myself ditched by my wife, so I was stuck carrying on a conversation with the spouse of one of her coworkers -- you know, the worst possible Christmas party scenario. During the conversation the guy asks me what I do for a living and I tell him I'm a golf course superintendent.

Sharp Park Golf Course Stays Alive

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday not to close the Sharp Park Golf Course, much to the dismay of environmentalists who claim the course endangers frogs and snakes on the course.

The board's vote upheld San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee's December veto of an ordinance that would have closed the course and made it national parkland, meaning golf would be forbidden.

On Tuesday, Supervisor John Avalos, who wrote the ordinance, garnered 6 votes in support of closing the course; he needed 8. Though the course gets a reprieve for now, it's not home free entirely; the case is headed for trial in federal district court this July. Until then, however, golfers know for certain they can tee off all they want.

New PACE Turf Video Explores Turfgrass K

PACE Turf has released a new video educating superintendents on just how much potassium turf really requires.

In the video, Dr. Micah Woods, chief scientist of the Asian Turfgrass Center, describes research he performed on sandy soils from around the globe. Woods deduced that the amount of potassium used on golf course turf is actually more than plants require.

The Dr. Woods video is the first in a PACE series called “Interviews with the Experts". Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rMM-4XJ5dA. 

Fungicide Found in Popular Brands of Orange Juice

It appears fungicides have a new use -- orange juice additive.

Coca-Cola Co. has alerted the Food and Drug Administration that fungicide was found in its orange juices Minute Maid and Simply Orange, as well as in an unnamed orange juice manufactured by one of its competitors.

Coke notified the FDA Monday after low levels of the fungicide carbendazim were discovered in the juice. Carbendazim is used to control mold on orange trees in Brazil, which exports orange juice to the United States.

According to the FDA, Coca-Cola Co. found fungicide levels up to 35 parts per billion, much lower than the 80 parts per billion the Environmental Protection Agency says raises concerns. Even so, something about the thought of fungicide in our O.J. doesn't sound very appetizing.

Email from Sandy Queen, GCSAA VP

The GCSAA has been busy lately, as I've seen a few emails from my friends at 1421 Research Park Drive these past couple of days...

I just got a nice email from Sandy Queen, current VP of the GCSAA and the GCSAA golf tournament director, asking if I was going to play in the tournament this year and reminding me that the deadline to register had been extended. It was a broadcast email to all the participants in last's years tournament.

At the end of the email he asked that if I was not going, if I could email him and let him know why.

I just emailed him and told him my three big concerns:

Golfdom TV -- Syngenta Business Institute

We have a new Golfdom TV video we're set to debut here in a couple of days via the Golfdom Insider e-newsletter... for those of you loyal blog readers, here it is in advance!

The video is taken at the Graylyn Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., and is about the 2011 Syngenta Business Institute, what the seminar is like, and how superintendents can get involved in 2012.

Thanks to Stephanie Schwenke, golf marketing manager for Syngenta, for taking the time to be interviewed on camera. And thanks to everyone at Syngenta for having me there, even though I wasn't able to stay for the duration of the program!

Golfdom EIC Seth Jones had the good fortune of being invited to this year's Syngenta Business Institute at Wake Forest University. He checks in with Stephanie Schwenke, Syngenta's golf marketing manager, to discuss the event and how superintendents can get involved.

BIGGA on my mind

I'm getting emails and phone calls about the Golf Industry Show. Which is great, because I'm PUMPED for this year's GIS.

But before I can get really worked up about the GIS (I just booked my flight yesterday), I've got to get ready for the BIGGA show in Harrogate, United Kingdom, baby! (Doesn't have quite the same ring as 'Vegas, baby!' but oh well.)

This will be my first trip to the BIGGA Turfgrass Management Expo (BTME). Keep an eye out for some coverage here on the blog the week of January 23rd.

If you've been to the BIGGA show and have any advice for me, I'm all ears, shoot me an email. If you will be at the BIGGA show and would like to meet up, drop me a line and we'll make it happen.

Meanwhile, stay tuned and see what kind of trouble your pal Jonesy can get into across the pond. It's Golfdom at the BIGGA show... and it's going to be exciting, I promise.

Jacobsen adds dealer

Jacobsen today announced a new dealer for the sale of its equipment in the Maryland, Virginia and Delaware areas.

Horizon Distributors, Inc., a full-service distributor of landscape and irrigation products, has announced its expansion into the mid-Atlantic territories with the acquisition of the Jacobsen product line from G.L. Cornell Company.   

“Horizon has a proven business model based around customer satisfaction. We are confident they will make significant strides in this market due to this commitment to customer service, highly experienced personnel and dedication to the golf and turf market,” said Ric Stone, Jacobsen’s Vice President of Sales.

To golf in the GCSAA tournament, or not to golf in the GCSAA tournament?

The deadline for registering for the GCSAA golf tournament (AKA the National Championship and Golf Classic) is this Friday.

I played in my first tournament last year, after years of wanting to attend but being unable to (only a handful of GCSAA staff people go to tournament, and I wasn't one of them.) And I have to tell you, it was a classy event. The courses in Palm Beach, Fla., were great, the rooms at PGA National were nice, the registration gifts were cool (I still wear the Bolle sunglasses) and the company was excellent, a tremendous group of people. I had fun.

But by the end of the ensuing GIS, I was just done. Toasted. Wore out. Adding the golf classic made it for a looooong trip to the GIS last year. I'm looking forward to Las Vegas this year, but I'm not looking to making the trip too long for my family, my calendar and my liver, to handle.

I still love ya GCSAA, but you will have to go it without my sorry high-handicap ass this year. I'm sure you won't miss my golf, but you might miss my golf registration fee.

Take the Golfdom poll: What primary reason keeps you from going to the GCSAA tournament? The poll is right over there in the top right column -----> There you go. Go ahead, click an answer. Click any answer. I promise we won't laugh. It's anonymous, after all.

Can they take 10?

Pinehurst Resort is launching a web series tomorrow, called "Take 10 Challenge," taking two regular Joes and putting them through the Pinehurst Golf Academy to see if they can shave ten strokes off their games in four days. Here's the preview of the series:

 

Hmm... looks like it could be fun. Here's the press release:

Two men. Four Days. Ten strokes. With famed Pinehurst No. 2 as the backdrop. 

That is the scenario facing Bill Friese and Mike McClanahan in Pinehurst Golf Academy’s “Take 10 Challenge,” a weekly web series that launches today with a teaser video at www.pinehurst.com/take10. The first of six full, weekly episodes will be posted to the site on Wednesday mornings, beginning tomorrow, January 4. 

Positive thoughts to our friend Dennis Lyon

After a nice long holiday break (the entire office closed down for over a week!) we're back in action.

I was shocked to see this sad news on GCSAA.org about our friend Dennis Lyon, who was hit by a truck while walking his dog. Thankfully Dennis survived... you can send him your positive thoughts via his CaringBridge site here.

Hang in there, Dennis!

Check out the December issue

Hey everyone,

We're still here, it's just been a busy time this week -- trying to get out from under a PILE of receipts and expense reports, and then the double whammy yesterday... my five-year-old has a mild case of pneumonia. YIKES! She's doing better right now, but yeah, this week has been a mess.

The Golfdom office is officially closed next week, but I'll still be around here and there, trying to get caught up on some things while the office voice mail is saying, "We're closed this week! Woo-hoo!"

In the meantime, here is the December Golfdom, if you haven't seen it hit your mailbox yet. It should be there any day now, I've received mine already. Check out Clark's piece on painting greens, good stuff there!

-Seth

'Tis the Season?

I was at a course last week, hanging with the superintendent. He got stopped three, maybe even four different times by members. Not to ask about the new irrigation system, or how the late aeration was working out for him, or even about his day... but to ask about the gift baskets.

Yes, the gift baskets, as in the Christmas gift baskets. Turns out the women's club made a pretty nifty gift basket for all of the crew that came with fresh cookies, hand warmers, gloves and a gift card to the local grocery store. The golfers kept asking, "Did you hand out the gift baskets?" "What did the guys think of the gift baskets??" "The cookies were fresh, you have to hand out the gift baskets!!!" (The super was patient, but had to chuckle about the stress that these gift baskets were causing.)

Gift baskets are nothing new, I know I'm not breaking any news here ("We landed on the MOON!!!") but it did make me wonder what you guys do for your staff when the holidays roll around.

So, a new poll. Check it out and vote, let me know how you and your course handle the holidays.

Hendren's Hyperbole! -- Episode 45: So What, Tiger?

Professional golf in December has always been kind of a joke, and I don’t think this December is any different than any other except for the fact Tiger managed to win a golf tournament. I am referring to the Chevron World Challenge, of course. It was big news for all of a day. Jones asked me what I thought about it the other day, so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts...

So Tiger managed to beat 17 other golfers, which did not include the top four players in the world, at a track he had already won at four times before and just happens to benefit his foundation……so what?!? So what if every golfer in the field had a higher world golf ranking than Tiger. So what if Tiger sank a 6-foot putt on the 18th for a one stroke win over Zach Johnson. Isn’t that what Tiger is supposed to do? Can someone please explain to me how Tiger’s world ranking jumped from 52nd to 21st with one win?

You don't know me!

I'm on a top secret mission for Goldom today. I'm in my second airport of four for the day. I've got my hat and my sunglasses on. 

I'm off to a good start. The hotel had a stretch limo waiting for me this morning.

I'm undercover, baby.

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Riding in style with Senior Editor Beth Geraci

This is how we roll when we're in South Beach. When we're offered a ride in a Ferrari, who are we to refuse?

Taking care of bid'ness

It's been an awesome couple of days in Cleveland! I always enjoy my time up here...

Thanks to everyone who filled out our survey. Wow, we got a lot of great feedback! 

We spent part of the day talking about our covers... What did YOU think of our covers thi year???

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David Phipps checks in with Golfdom TV

My Mexican beer of choice

My 18-pack of Miller Lite promoted... Chivas, from Guadalajara, Mexico?!?

Check out the box! I never thought I'd be able to buy an 18-pack of beer in KANSAS that promoted a Mexican soccer team. Sweet!

But then, just as I was really getting excited, I tried entering their contest to win something, free soccer tickets, who knows what? ...AND the web address wouldn't work. What the?!? Then I looked closely at the rules... The contest ended three months ago!

Great. So, what you're telling me is, I bought old leftover beer from Mexico? 

Aye, caramba.  

I sent my senior editor to Miami

And all I got was this photo of Dennis Rodman!

Golfdom senior editor Beth Geraci is down in Miami on assignment for our sister publication, Landscape Management magazine. Apparently The Worm is Beth's neighbor. The Worm was chilling out at her resort, killing time until his tee time with none other than... Michael Jordan.

Toro acquires Graden greens rollers

The Toro Company today announced it has acquired the Graden greens roller product line, which includes the GSR 1200 greens roller. The acquisition provides entry into a new product category and broadens Toro’s offering to golf customers worldwide. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This acquisition fills an important product gap in our core golf business and helps further strengthen our offering in the greens care category,” said Darren Redetzke, vice president of Toro’s Commercial Business. “Rolling greens has become an important agronomic practice for golf courses that improves the health and playability of the greens. By leveraging our brand strength and extensive global distribution, we are well positioned for growth in this new segment.”

Graden’s other turf maintenance product lines, which include zero-turn mowers, verticutters and sand injectors, were not associated with this acquisition.

Do you blog?

The question was raised at the Syngenta Business Institute -- do you keep a maintenance blog? Several hands went up -- almost a third of the room said they did. A discussion followed about why maintenance blogs are useful.

Bill Davidson, CGCS, told the room that his blog on the maintenance at the Country Club of Naples had developed a cult following among members. His blog can be found here.

The best line was from Jim Alwine, superintendent at Stockton (Calif.) Golf and Country Club. When asked if many people read his maintenance blog, he smiled and said, "My Mom loves it."

2011 Sygenta Business Institute class

Check it out... see who you know!

Stand in your corner

The room splits into different generations at the Syngenta Business Institute... Notice almost evryone in this group is a Gen X, very few baby boomers...


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Live from the OTF

We're checking out a few new products at this year's show and are about to hear about new heat-tolerant bluegrasses. We'll see what they say.

Syngenta Business Institute week

Hello to all of you out there in the Golfdom...

I'm in Winston-Salem this week, attending the third annual Syngenta Business Institute. We're at the Graylyn Conference Center -- the second largest house in the great state of North Carolina (second to the largest house in all of America, the Biltmore). Tomorrow morning the classes begin. We've been told to be ready, so all of the superintendents -- approximately 30 -- listened, and called it an early night. Class starts tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. The first class is "Financial Management."

I'll have lots more this week from the SBI. Stay tuned!

The weather outside isn't frightful

Just chatted with a GM/superintendent in Pennsylvania... they're enjoying better weather here in early December. In fact, he told me they had as many rounds of golf today as they had in the entire MONTH of December 2010.

"But nothing can make up for what we had in April and September," he said.

Here in Lawrence, Kan., yesterday it was nice to see my friend Bill Irving's course, Lawrence CC, on the front page of the paper. The story was about how nice and mild the weather has been lately. 

Meanwhile, I just got off the phone with Clark Throssell... he's experiencing better weather in Billings, Mont. right now -- to the tune of 30 degrees!

From the Turf M.D.: Frost delays

We never know what will get a reaction and what won't. Karl and I were chatting about this just the other day.


For example, frost. I'm pretty sure the dinosaurs had to wait to tee it up on frosty mornings. Nothing new here. And yet, we've gotten a lot of positive feedback to the below "Puttin' Down Roots" email newsletter that went out earlier this week, about frost.


If you didn't see this hit your email inbox, you can always subscribe here. Karl Danneberger, Ph.D., and Clark Throssell, Ph.D., send out good info twice a month in their respective email newsletters, "Puttin' Down Roots" for Karl and "On the Green" for Clark.


Here is this month's Roots:

Frost is a common reason for morning tee time delay. The reason for the delays is the damage that can occur from foot or equipment traffic to the turf when frost is present. Generally speaking, nice fall golfing days and frost go hand-in-hand. With more frost days expected, this is a good time to look at the conditions favorable for frost.

Frost occurs on clear cold nights when turfgrass plants re-radiate heat (exothermic reaction). As the plant loses heat to the atmosphere the plant leaf cools. If the plant temperature is cooler than the air temperature then moisture from the atmosphere will condense on the leaf. If the leaf temperature drops below freezing then the water freezes and frost forms. This will occur even if the air temperatures are slightly above freezing. At this time of the year it is not uncommon to have frost form even if the air temperature is in the mid to high 30s.

Hendren's Hyperbole! Episode 44 -- Maintenance blogs

This past week, over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was just wasting some time surfing the internet -- you know, checking out the Golfdom Daily as I am sure you do quite often -- and I started thinking about the pros and cons of maintenance departments keeping a maintenance blog to help keep members and the public aware of what is happening on the course.

I’ll just start off by saying personally I think the pros by far outweigh the cons. It makes sense to me that by keeping an updated blog about what is happening from a maintenance perspective members and especially greens committees would be less likely to constantly hound you about what is going on and what projects are in the works. Another positive aspect is that superintendents from other courses in your community could check out your blog and possibly use the information you are posting as inspiration for projects at their course. To build on that idea, if a super is having problems convincing the powers that be about a certain project your success story posted on your blog might just be enough to tip the scale in their favor.

As far as cons go I think the biggest issue would be time. Keeping up a blog doesn’t have to take a lot of time but it does take time nonetheless and as a fellow super I know how valuable time is. Even though you have complete control over what is posted on the blog I could see how posting projects and information about your club for the world to view might also be considered negative by some.

Overall, I think the positives by far outweigh the negative regarding a maintenance blog. Shoot me a quick comment and let me know what you think and let me know if you currently have a maintenance blog or are planning on starting one.

-- Matt Hendren

Twin Gifts for Michigan State University’s Turfgrass Information Center

Good news from our friends at Michigan State --

The Turfgrass Information Center, a unit of the Michigan State University Libraries, has received two generous donations to support digitization work.

The first gift was a challenge grant from the O.J. Noer Research Foundation, promising to match gifts before December 31, 2011, up to a total of $5000. And, when the matching gift was announced to supporters, the Wisconsin Golf Course Superintendents Association immediately pledged $5000 to meet the challenge.

“Both organizations have our sincere thanks,” said Pete Cookingham, head of the Turfgrass Information Center. “We’re also grateful to other supporters who are still responding. We now hope to exceed the original challenge by several thousand dollars!”

PCNB press release

This press release came out last Wednesday, just as I was escaping the office for my Thanksgiving holiday...

American Vanguard Corporation today announced that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved certain registrations for the company’s pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) product line for all major commercial uses. As a result, with today’s action the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Amvac Chemical Corporation is once again permitted to sell PCNB into the golf course turf, potato, cotton, ornamental bulb and cole crop markets domestically. Amvac continues to work with the EPA on labeling for other uses.

Hendren's Hyperbole! Episode 43 -- My Summit experience

Every now and then you get the opportunity to be a part of something great whether it is by design or it just so happens you are just in the right place at the right time. This past week I had one of those opportunities present itself. Last week I had the pleasure to be a part of the first ever Golfdom Summit.

I realize that to some of you it may sound like I am blowing up the skirt of Golfdom, and to some extent I am, but for those of you who know me, know that any form of praise from me has to be deserved and the Golfdom Summit was one of the highest marks of my golf course maintenance career.

The first ever Golfdom Summit was held at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C., and featured a unique educational experience that combined boardroom/case studies with one-on-one meetings. There were also plenty of networking opportunities including playing historic Pinehurst No.2. Pinehurst No. 2 is one of many courses on my bucket list so I was able to kill two birds with one stone. (Next on my list, Whistling Straits!)

Golfdom Summit photo parade part two

Clark Throssell, Ph.D., gives a presentation

A one-on-one meeting in action with Redexim

Having a bad round? Not when you see this on the ground.

Payne Stewart statue outside Pinehurst clubhouse

Summit supers and sponsors applaud Clark's talk

Kevin Stoltman (VP, Questex Media), Rees Jones, Ken Mangum, CGCS (Atlanta Athletic Club) and Chris Vernon (Jacobsen) prepare for golf

Blasting out of a bunker

The greens were fierce!

Golfdom Summit photo parade part one

Warming up for Pinehurst No. 2

Bob Farren, CGCS, greets Ken Mangum, CGCS

Handshakes all around after an amazing round on No. 2

Rees Jones delivers his keynote at the Golfdom Summit

Boardroom meeting with eager listeners

Golfdom EIC Seth Jones at the podium

Matt Hendren and Bill Irving at the evening reception

Tyler Otero, Brian Nettz and Steve Sarro at the evening reception

Emil Miller discusses the features on a Smithco sprayer to a superintendent

A room full of superintendents listens as Rees Jones makes his keynote address at the Golfdom Summit

Clark talking turf at the Golfdom Summit

Hopefully the photo shows up this time!


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Pat Roberts and Hendren

Last interview of the day...

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Day two of Goldom Summit winding down

Meetings, meetings, meetings... interviews, interviews, interviews... it's almost time to kick back, turn on the Jayhawks game, and celebrate an awesome start.

Pictured here, Tyler Otero of Trump National GC, Colts Neck, does a Golfdom TV interview.

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We are getting a ton of positive feedback

On the first ever Golfdom Summit...

"I don't need to see a pile of equipment sitting in the middle of a room, I can see it online. I like this better because you can actually sit down with everyone one-on-one. You know what I wish? I wish there were more vendors here to meet with."

-- Walter Pritchett, Hurstbourne Country Club, Louisville, Ky.

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Intelligent Use of Water Awards

Sitting less than a mile from one of the Great Lakes (Erie) it's sometimes hard to remember there are places in the world — places in this country — where water is much more scarce. There's no question our industry plays a huge role in the protecting this most precious resource.

The folks at Rain Bird understand that, too. That's why Golfdom and our sister publication Landscape Management supported Rain Bird's Intelligent Use of Water film competition earlier this year, and we plan to do the same with a new program, the Intelligent Use of Water Awards.

Rain Bird will award a total of more than $50,000 to projects that "use water efficiently, promote green spaces and are examples of sustainability." Individual projects can earn $1,500, $5,000 or $10,000. Simply put the contest is open to "anyone with a water conservation project in need of funding."

Entrants submit their projects to the contest website where the public votes on the projects it thinks are most important. As of this writing their are only six projects available to vote on, but since the contest just started, we don't think there will be so few projects to consider in the near future. You can vote on projects or submit your own here. Voting ends March 15, 2012.

According to the contest website: "Once a project is submitted it is made available for public voting, meaning anyone can anonymously cast their vote for their favorite project. All projects can be anonymously voted on by visitors (one vote a day per project, per individual user), and the projects with the most votes in each funding category will be awarded a combined $51,000 in grants to be used towards the completion of their winning project. Winners will be announced on World Water Day – March 22, 2011."

We'll do our best to check in on the contest during the next several months. So check back here periodically for updates. Let us know if you've entered the competition. We'd love to hear about the water project you think is worthy of some prize money.

Getting some serious business done

One of our sponsors just told me this is the best golf event he'd ever done... I said, "great, I need that comment on video!" And he smiled and said, "no way, I want this to be a secret!

I think the secret is about to get out!

Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G

Rees Jones speaking at Golfdom Summit

Look for details in next month's issue of Golfdom!

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# 16

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Yep, this place is awesome

Having a blast, my caddie is awesome!

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At Pineurst # 2

Putting shame in the game... with my game.

Awesome course, crazy tough!

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Time is running out!

To nominate someone for the Herb Graffis Business Person of the Year award!

Get your last-minute submissions in here.

Hendren's Hyperbole! Episode 42 -- Buried, literally, in a bunker

I don’t know about you but for me golf is a sacred time reserved for me, my buddies and occasionally my dad when he can fit me in. It is a four to five hour vacation from normal life. No honey-do lists, no diapers to change, just a time to recharge my batteries. Golf is a time to hang out with good friends, enjoy a few cocktails and swear like a sailor.

At least that is what I thought until I discovered Sunset Hills Memorial Golf Park in Bellevue, Wash. Sunset Hills Memorial Golf Park is a cemetery that features a complete golf hole which allows committed fans of the game to be buried or placed in a permanent golf setting, the nation’s first golf-themed memorial park.

If you've been pondering nominationg someone for the Graffis award...

NOW IS THE TIME!!!

Only two days left to get your nominations in!

If you know someone who has been creative, insightful, daring, bold or just downright brilliant when it comes to getting the most out of the golf course, nominate them for the Graffis Business Person of the Year award! It's a short form to fill out. We're only accepting nominations until this Friday. Winner gets an all-expenses paid trip to the Golf Industry Show in Las Vegas as well as a feature story about them in an upcoming issue of GOLFDOM.

Nominate your candidate here: http://www.golfdom.com/awards/business-award

The benefits of turfgrass video

Great video from the folks at BASF about the benefits of turfgrass. Cool graphics, too!

Rocking the Irrigation Association show

Well, I'm not sure that I'm rocking the show, exactly, but I am here in San Diego checking out my first IA show. So far, so good.

If you're here and you want to talk golf with me, shoot me a note and we'll meet up! Text me at 785.550.2560 or direct message me (@golfdom) on Twitter. No kidnappers, please.

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See you at the Irrigation Show!

Golfdom will be on the ground in San Diego next week reporting from the Irrigation Show. Stop by and see us, we'll be at booth 1355 with our sister publication, Landscape Management.

Deadlines and Nitrozymes

Wow, I'm glad that's over. We just finished up a big Golfdom deadline. You guys are going to love our new issue, it's got a good variety. Very different than last month, when the whole issue stuck to one theme (Turf on Trial). This month, we're all over the place with Golfdom goodness.

I just got off the phone with Dick Duggan, superintendent at The Meadow at Peabody in Peabody, Mass. We were talking turf products. Dick likes using Turf Vigor from Lebanon Turf. And if you say it in Dick's Boston accent, you say it, "Turf Vig-ahhh."

He also dropped a new one on me: Nitrozyme from Growth Technology. "It's a good product, check it out," he told me. "If you don't try new things, how will you know?"

Well said, Dick, well said.

Hendren's Hyperbole! Episode 41 -- I'm on Golfdom TV!

Hey everybody, here's the video I did while in Orlando checking out the RG3 Robotic Greens mower. I'm pretty pumped with the way it turned out! Seth tells me this video will be sent out in next week's Golfdom Insider, but he was cool with me posting it here first.

And no, that's not an illusion... my shirt always does that cool 3-D wavy effect, like you're stuck in the Matrix, when you look directly at me. That's just how I roll! (Seth has asked me to stick to the solid-colored shirts in the future. Jerk.)  

Golfdom contributing editor Matt Hendren, a superintendent with the city of Kansas City, Kan., flew to Orlando to take a look at an autonomous robotic greensmower and to talk with Sean O'Brien, the superintendent utilizing them on his greens.